Meal Prep Fruit and Yogurt Parfaits
Parfait literally means "perfect" in French. And I think it is a wholly appropriate name for this recipe. There is something so simple and yet so satisfying about fruit and layers of creamy yogurt topped with crunchy granola. And, dare I say, it is the perfect snack.
Especially when you pack it up in a wide-mouth pint Mason jar for easy transport. To keep your granola nice and crunchy, pack it in a leftover applesauce cup (you know those little plastic ones that kids eat?). Put the Mason jar lid on it upside down, and screw that bad boy right on top of your jar. Perfect, packable parfait.
I struggle to call this one a "recipe" because really, it is just assembly. I'm not going to give you exact ingredients, because to make a perfect parfait (redundant!), it should be entirely personal. Here, we used unsweetened coconut milk yogurt, blueberries, mango, strawberries, and some store-bought granola. You can craft your own favorite combo!
Use goat's milk yogurt or cow yogurt or soy yogurt or skyr or kefir or whatever other random fermented product is on your health food store shelves. Use paleo granola (this one is my favorite right now). Use nuts and seeds. Mix in collagen peptides or protein powder or flax seeds or whatever else makes you happy. Have a sweet tooth? Add in some honey, maple syrup, or even, gasp, chocolate chips!
I will caution you that if you use pineapple, you'll want to eat it within 24-36 hours-something about the chemical reaction between pineapple and yogurt tends to make the whole mess turn bitter after an extended stay in the fridge.
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Berries are always a safe bet (and crazy good for you). I've also used frozen berries in this before-without defrosting-and they add a bit of a juice to the mixture, but it adds some nice flavor to the whole parfait when mixed together.
I use these parfaits a lot for breakfast on the go, but they are also great for an afternoon snack. They're a healthier way to knock out your 3pm craving for something sweet. Pack one of these suckers and it'll never even occur to you to hit the vending machine.
📖 Recipe
Meal Prep Fruit and Yogurt Parfaits
Ingredients
- 4 cups yogurt of choice
- 4 cups mixed fruit chopped if large
- 2 cups granola
- 4-8 empty applesauce cups 4 for pints, 8 for half-pints
Instructions
- Layer the yogurt and fruit in wide-mouth pint or half-pint jars.
- Fill empty applesauce cups with granola.
- Place flat part of lid upside-down on top of the granola cup, invert, and place the cup and lid on top of the jar. Screw on the rings to join the jars and granola cups together. Store in the refrigerator for up to 4-5 days.
Video
Notes
- Make sure to buy wide-mouth jars if you’d like to use the empty applesauce cups for the granola. Regular-mouth jars will be too small to use with the cups.
- Plain, honey, and vanilla yogurt all work well here.
- For the fruit, try blueberries, raspberries, or blackberries, and/or chopped mango, banana, strawberries, or peaches.
Nutrition
I'm a little confused...does this mean that 1 pint serving is 872 calories...? That is really high...
Hi Tiana! The nutritional information is automatically calculated in our system, so if you're looking for the most accurate info, we always recommend dropping your ingredients into your favorite online nutrition calculator. That way you can put in the exact amounts and ingredients you're using. In this recipe, the specific yogurt and granola you use will make a big difference on the nutritional information!
How long does any yogurt last in the fridge with fruit in it ? Is it better to freeze them ?
They should be good in the fridge for 4-5 days. I wouldn't recommend freezing them—I suspect the yogurt would separate.
Do the bananas turn brown after a couple of days?
After a day or so, yes. So either leave them out if you are making them in advance, or add them last minute!
I was wondering do you put the bananas in ahead of time or wait till you are ready to eat them? If you put them in ahead of time how long do they last?
Thanks!
Bananas start to go yucky after a day or so, so if you're leaving the parfait longer, I'd skip 'em.
that granola looks delicious, store bought or home made?
Store bought—although I don't remember what kind!
How big are your jars for the parfaits? Also how big are your jars for the overnight oats and salads in a jar?
I use half-pints or pints for parfaits. And then pints for overnight oats and side salads. Quarts for dinner-sized salads.
I was just curious, what kind of yogurt do you use?
I'm a big fan of Fage 2%, but I also make my own yogurt a lot, too!
Do you prep these for the week? Then just add granola on each one before you eat them?
Great recipe! Will be linking back to this in my post tomorrow.
I love this! Where did you find that adorable orange spoon?
It's from Crate and Barrel. They are called "condiment spoons". 🙂
I am with you, I never want to hit up the vending machine. Love fruity yogurt parfaits!
soooo gorgeous! This would be great to take to work... and save me money from buying it from my favourite coffee shop!
Yeah, it is perfect for taking to work! That's what I do. 🙂
Great idea! This looks so beautiful! My perfect parfait would have Greek yogurt, honey, raspberries and granola. I'm craving one now 😛
Oooooh, raspberries are so, so, so yummy! But they are hard to grow here and are therefore pretty much always out of season. Such a nice treat!
Beautiful photos! Looks delicious!
I made a little parfait in a jar just the other day, and I used frozen fruit (cherries and blueberries), and stuck it in the fridge at work and when the fruit thawed, it froze the yogurt, so by the time I ate it, I had frozen yogurt + fruit, it was amazing!! It was a happy accident! I love using glass jars instead of tupperware!
When I worked at a coffee shop we would serve these with a frozen mix of blueberries and raspberries. We put the granola in and it got soft, but I liked it that way.
Love the idea of carrying it in a mason jar! you are so clever and creative! I bet it leaks less than it would in a plastic container.
Your pictures are GORGEOUS!!!!
My Perfect Parfiet would be with Strawberries and Bananas! 🙂
Mmmmm! I have been eating lots of these lately! Your pictures are so purdy! 🙂